


The Adventures of Orange and Guava

by HasliaRanAnagram



Series: A Fruit Bowl On the Sea [1]
Category: Bleach, One Piece
Genre: Child-like Behavior, De-Aged Kurosaki Ichigo, De-Aged Nelliel Tu Oderschvank, Gen, Government Experimentation, Memory Loss, Overpowered Yet Not., Pre-One Piece Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2019-11-14 07:05:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18047861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HasliaRanAnagram/pseuds/HasliaRanAnagram
Summary: Edited 26/6/19 :- (it was too long)Dr. Vegapunk bought a Blue-finned Elephant Tunafish from a clueless fisherman, gutted it, took out a mystical orb he had detected with a detector.The crystal orb, filled with unfathomable energy, he thought he could use it for a project.By doing so, he got unexpected results.He got kids.





	1. The Entry of the Orange Strawberry and the Green Guava.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I am bored and frustrated with the lack of Bleach and One Piece crossovers. That I took it upon myself to start up one. Heads up, this is my first time writing a fanfic. I really appreciate it if any of you care to bounce off ideas with me in the comment section. English is also not my first language, so help?  
> Ehhh, I don’t own bleach nor one piece. I am not good with names, so... let’s leave it at that.  
> This fic revolves around friendship and family. Maybe a bit of harmless flirting and cursing as usual.  
> Not going to follow canon in one piece nor bleach. Universe is placed in one piece. Okay, maybe a bit of following canon in one piece. Even then, the story won’t revolve around the straw hats only but a lot of other characters.  
> One piece is chosen as a based area because holy hell that place is filled with mini unexplored islands! Plus, they have more feels and things that I want to change. I mean a lot of people want to change it but the story is not theirs. That is why we have alternate universes called fanfic!
> 
> Warning: Memory loss, so expect some weird behavior…?

The Entry of the Orange Strawberry and the Green Guava.

 

Two frighteningly young voices were heard screaming, and it was getting closer.

Dr Vegapunk eyed the bright, swirling portal that he had created in apprehension. Sweat beaded down his forehead as he heard a particularly painful scream coming from a high-pitched girl’s voice. The machine in front of him sputtered and started to fizzle. Hope swelled within him at the probability of not hearing their heart-wrenching screams any longer.

He almost wanted to let out a sigh of relief as the crystal that he bought from a random fish market started to lose its glow.

Almost, did he thought that it was low on energy and no longer capable of powering the possible torture device. Withholding his breath, he eyed the fizzling portal. Unwilling to let it out until the screams disappear.

But the children’s screams continued.

Still, deafening to his own ears.

Guilt ate at him.

Sentomaru, his bodyguard and a few other marines were already relaxed as they eyed the dissipating portal. Though a bit shifty as they heard the continuing screams but luckily fading together with the portal.

The portal fizzled out, leaving a pitch-black cavern that the scientist had built in his endeavour to create it.

Sighs of relief were released.

Then, all too suddenly, a bright light flashed before their eyes, blinding them momentarily as it spat out two small figures. Trailing blood on the metal plated floor in their short flight, roughly landing on it. Making the larger one let out a grunt of pain as it cradles a smaller figure, taking most of the brunt of the fall.

The bigger one with undecipherable height as he curled around the other, was bloody with ripped black clothing, tanned skin along with a shock of orange for hair on top of his head. While the other appeared as a small bundle of green cloths with a spot of bright tuffs of aquamarine green coloured hair. Their appearance mostly hid by the apparent young boy that continued to cradle the other, covering the smaller one in a foetal position. 

As if protecting them from the world.

Which, was very likely as he seems to be the most injured one out of the two.

Yet, both appeared to be dead to the world. Only the really minuscule signs of breathing that showed itself revealed that they were alive.

Their sudden presence was a surprise for the few marines and Dr Vegapunk along with his bodyguard, Sentomaru. All of them gazed upon the ‘living, breathing beings’ that the machine had accidentally brought over. Shocked at the sight of the duo.

After a minute or so of staring, only the doctor had snapped out of it. He noticed that they were bleeding out sluggishly. The little one had a lot of minor cuts on small portions of her tanned skin that wasn’t protected by the older one. While the older one seems to have multiple large sized gashes on all over his body, even down to his fingers.

Oddly enough, the older one was still cradling the toddler sized bundle close to his chest even as he laid on his side. He does not seem to have ever loosened his hold on her. Hands coiled tightly around themselves. His face scrunched up in a frown at the pain he was experiencing for having those injuries, eyes firmly shut.

The brutal realization of them having horrifying wounds at all made the doctor feel sick and frantically, he approached them. Thus, breaking the silent spell of staring on the others, making them follow suit in the scientist footsteps. Their shock replaced with determination to help the small innocent children that had caught themselves in the crossfire of the doctor’s experimentation.

The scientist himself was all the more horrified at the fact that they were children in the first place.

With one that started to look only a decade old the closer he got to them and the other, even younger looking than the boy, despairingly he thought.

It sent chills down his spine as he looks down at the duo. Being a child abductor is one of the few things he will never agree with even for science.

His morals screamed at him for what he had done.

“We need to get them to the medical room. Hurry!” cried the distraught doctor who had swooped down, kneeling in front of them and pried the green-garbed little girl away from the other child in a quick but gentle manner as to avoid their injuries from getting worst.

However, it only made the orange-haired child more aware of his situation due to the disappearance of his companion. Bright brown eyes snapped open, arms moved to wrap closer around something only to find nothing. Panicked, his breathing became laboured, hitching every once in a while. Eyes sporadically moved around to scan what was in front of him. In just a glance, he eyed the lab coat wearing man who was the nearest to him, carrying a person he knew but couldn’t bring himself to recall their name.

All he knew was that a dear friend of his was in the hands of a stranger.

A person who was a suspicious looking doctor in an eerie steel plated room.

Along with other uniformed men and one large oddly dressed man carrying a larger terrifying axe gathered behind the obvious scientist. Fear pierced his heart for the safety of his friend. This unknown situation had become a threat in barely the span of a second.

Body moving on adrenaline and filled with tension, he struggled to bring himself up on his knees as he kept on bleeding out. Shakily, he got on all four of his weak, wounded limbs. Eyes never straying away from the man’s surprised ones.  

The child attempted to crawl, shouting at the doctor in a voice filled with desperation.

“Stop. Don’t take her away from me, please!” He had pleaded.

The man’s face twisted to one of that of guilt but only for a moment. However, it was caught by the perceptive young boy who felt curious about the occurrence. Although, he could hardly bring himself to care with the position he is in now. A hand grappling at the doctor’s white lab coat, leaving bloody trails on it. Clutching a part of it. He didn’t want the man with the odd blank look to drop his friend.

“Please, give her back…” Feeling way too exhausted with everything to process the suddenly determined expression that appeared on the scientist's face.

The blood-caked orange haired child could hardly focus anymore but still, he forced himself to.

The doctor stared at the child’s pitiful form, desperate expression and clouded brown eyes with a deep feeling of sadness. He noticed that the boy was still very much aware so he replied with a soothing voice and abundant in conviction. “I am just going to help her. We need to get you medical attention. So, we are going to help you whether you want it or not. Marine!”

The tattered clothed boy flinched at the shout and started to sway, his grasp on the man’s coat became loose. A man in a blue and white uniform came forward to approach him at a quiet order from the scientist. He felt a hand being placed on his shoulder, wincing at a flare of pain he experienced at the sudden touch.

The marine said with a calm voice that he uses on any traumatic children that he had encountered in this pirate-filled era.

“It is alright. We are only going to help you. You are safe here. Nobody is going to hurt you. Come on, we need to patch you up.” Said the marine all the while taking the chance to gingerly lift the bigger child into his arms. Grimacing at lightness he felt in his arms for the child’s lack of weight. Noticing the loss of blood is at a critical amount.

It left orange-haired boy feeling momentarily disoriented and aggravated by the lack of choice as he had to accept help from suspicious looking people. So, in a vain attempt to deny them of the help he really needed, he tried to push weakly at the person carrying him. Only to wince at another sharp pain he felt when he pulled his injuries. Already, he became aware of feeling the apparent lull of fatigue dragging him to an unwanted rest. 

“Put me down. I don’t know any of you. Let us...” his voice weakly trailed off after listing of protest after protest. Resting his head involuntarily on the uniformed man’s shoulder as he started to lose consciousness due to blood loss.

He could hardly recall that he wasn't supposed to be small enough to be carried so easily. _‘Were they just that huge?’_ he thought, wanting to scoff at the fact but physically couldn’t. And yet, he also couldn’t recall why he should be bigger than he currently was.

The child felt exhaustion starting to creep down his bones. Eyes fluttering to stay awake.

He just wanted to sleep, though.

If possibly forever.

**‘Oh boy, more mind fucks’**

_‘…What?’_

Against his will, he closed his eyes.


	2. Getting to Know the Voices.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ehh, meeting the two voices. One mean, the other is nice but distant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a gift for the first comment ;D... (Both Chapter 1 and 2 re-updated to newer versions on 15/3/2019, I think...)  
> Striving to improve!

He just wanted to sleep, though.

If possibly forever.

**‘Oh boy, more mind fucks’**

_‘…What?’_

Against his will, he closed his eyes.

* * *

 

There was a voice in his head he thought, in his half-asleep state.

‘It appears as if his mind has been wiped away of memories but this time it is different.’ 

Well, voices apparently…

 **‘Stupid kid, got his mind fucking fragmented!’** Growled the first rude voice.

Not wanting to be excluded from the conversation that was disturbingly going on in his own head. Hesitantly, the child tried to join in.

_‘Uh… Hello?’_

**‘Shit, the kid sounds weird as hell now. It was like he took helium for the hell of it!’**

The rude reception he received left him burning with irritation towards the first disembodied voice he heard. _‘Hey, I did not take helium! I think… Maybe? I can’t remember what I was doing. Even if I did, so what? Who are you people anyway? And why are you in my head?!’_ The boy mentally shouted, angered easily by the first man.

 **‘God, he even sounds like a brat!’** the eerie double-toned voice grouched.

‘Calm yourself in due time he will remember us again.’ Said another voice that was filled with certainty. That it left the child pondering on their curious choice of words but the annoyance he had felt for the first voice was too fresh to forget.

 **‘But it is so annoying!’** the first man’s voice whined.

The statement made his irritation flare again. _‘Uhm, hello? I am still here, listening to two older men talking, IN MY HEAD!’_ cried out the boy who could no longer feel the physical world.

**‘Shut your trap, you currently weak pansy. If not for the situation we are in right now, I would have taken over and slaughtered all of those weird looking people right then and there’**

Fear and worry for his friend replaced his previous emotions in a mere second. _‘No, you couldn’t!’_

Cockily, the voice replied. **‘Yeah, I could. Remember who you are talking to brat.’** Almost, almost did the child, could recall a familiar grin… but he didn’t.

So, he answered what he thought as the truth. _‘I don’t even know you nor the other guy.’_

 **‘Oh god, it is so easy to just...’** Said the voice that was oddly set to an emotionless tone.

‘Don’t.’

**‘...Fine.’** The child could even hear a disgruntled sigh at the end if he strained his metaphorical hearing.

‘...’ 

_‘... eh?’_ The momentary silence was broken as he felt an odd sensation pressing around him. It did not hurt, only familiar in a cautious yet warm feeling.

**‘You know what, screw this.’**

The youngest of the three then felt a more forceful sensation on his mind and within a second he found himself in a world that was tilted, filled with large concrete jungle, clouds that moved downwards parallel with the odd gravity. Disoriented by his own sudden physical appearance in a new environment, he tripped on a ridge and landed flat on his nose on a sky rise window pane as he entered.

“Ow...” Oddly, he could feel the pain coming off from his nose. However, hearing a mean chuckle coming from a familiar voice distracted him from pondering on it for any longer. His irritation spiked at the mere sound of it.

 **“Really? That was just pathetic...”** Cue the dramatic slow clap by the voice that kept on mocking him at every turn.

The child groaned as he slowly got up, eyes shut still facing the glass window of a skyscraper. Feeling tired from the previous ordeal of fighting to stay conscious in the physical world although still unaware of where he was currently in now. Nonetheless, the will to stand and face the person who irritated the hell out of him spurred him to keep moving. “Screw you, you disembodied voice!” Even taking the chance to curse back to soothe his annoyance.

Only to be reprimanded for it, indirectly by the other. It was obvious by the tone of his voice. “He is relearning how to curse from you, stop that. He is but a mere child now.” The words left the child to freeze his movement but for only a moment, due to how odd he felt about it.

The sheer chaos of longing, confusion, anxiety and hopelessness he felt from his emotions within that few seconds made him almost miss what was said by the other distorted voice.

Although, those emotions that the child felt wasn’t exactly missed by either of the manifestations. They’ve seen the clouds gone dark for that very few seconds.

 **“He he he, hell yes! I can corrupt an innocent Ichigo. Come join the dark side, my new midget.”** Said the distorted voice with glee that wasn’t faked but just as distracting as he suddenly took multiple steps forward to the child who was still rubbing his eyes and obviously growling at his choice of words. Trying to rid the feeling of fatigue.

With slow blinks, the boy adjusted his eyes to the brightness of his surrounding and came face-to-face with a white person. A literal white person down to the hair with acid yellow eyes with pitch black sclera and pupils, grinning down maliciously at him. Sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight.

Letting out an undignified squeak, the child was thoroughly surprised and frightened by the threatening visage. Quickly, he moved to scramble away on his own two unstable legs and ultimately failing to do so as he again trips on the ridges of a window pane. 

He fell but luckily was caught before he could land on his back.

Unluckily, it was the creepy looking person that caught one of his arms preventing him from falling.

The demonic looking person widened their grin. Revealing more of their teeth, making the child in their hand shiver to their delight.

He let out a mocking laughter **“FYI, I make a very good looking disembodied voice brat.”** Ending his lines with a smug smirk. Dread creep down the child’s spine at the very voice that had annoyed him to hell and back.

All he could think was that _. ‘Oh god, why did the voice had to belong to a creepy looking person and not someone stupid looking…’_ Though, he did not regret antagonising said voice.

Quickly, after steadying himself, the boy frantically pulled his arm out of the person’s hand. Only to fail and have said grip on it tightened. Gradually, his fear started to rise for his own safety. The child only winced to the pain and kept on trying. Pulling until he felt that his right arm would give out. Going so far to hit the other person’s arm with a balled-fist and clawing it off.

“Let me go!” he shouted with panic lacing his every word, eyeing the pale hand that tighten their grip furthermore. Feeling his bone bend a bit under the pressure.

It left him wanting to scream at the maniac but he didn’t. He just growled and the fear he felt wasn’t ever aimed at the man odd.

A manic grin spread on the sheet white coloured face of said person. **“Hmmm, I wonder...”** The man roughly pulled the child closer towards him. Only to get instinctively kicked in the guts by the brat.

Not that it mattered, it barely felt like an itch to him.

He sniggered at the attempt, though **“Kid still got his spunk.”** Approving of the ever-present stubborn personality he saw right in front of him.

Easily he grasps the child’s left leg before it could descend back to the floor, leaving the child imbalanced for a moment and left placing his weight on the person who had kept taunting him. Although, he tried his best to lean farther back away as soon as possible. Letting out another growl at the odd coloured person who was humming in delight at his expression.

“Are you going to stop?” Said a voice coming from a few steps behind the orange haired child.

Making the young boy try to look at what was behind him in surprise. Craning his neck back to see. Fearing an attack from the other unknown person that he could not possibly pay attention to right now.

Suddenly he was lifted off the ground by his hand and foot that were caught.

“Woah!”

 **“Nope!”** Cheerily the distorted voice replied as he tosses his quarry into the air.

A short scream tore through the boy’s throat as he sailed 10 metres off the ground, flailing his limbs in a panicked manner. The weird gravity in that world then worked its magic. Letting the child quickly be pulled back down to the fragile looking glass. Ensuring a painful fall filled with glass shards.

 _‘Oh god, is this how I die?’_ Thought the boy as he eyed the oncoming glass window he was going to slam into.

Only, to be rescued by a man garbed in a black cloak and a white long-sleeved formal shirt that suddenly appeared and caught him in mid-air, re-appearing together with him a few steps away in front of the other male.

“I advise you to not continue with what you are up to or there would be repercussions.” Said the coal-black shaggy-haired man sternly with a frown marring his face, who was cradling the petrified child in his arms. The poor boy clutched the man’s shirt like a lifeline. 

Leaving the assailant to scowl at the other occupant in the child’s mind. **“Such a party pooper. It is not like the brat is hurt or anything, right brat?”** His lips then quirked up a psychotic smile aimed towards them.  

Snapping his thoughts away from the traumatic experience when he realized what had been said, making him scowl heavily at the person who threw him in the first place. Said scowl was very similar to how the white person had scowled at the black cloaked person. However, he didn’t notice. Not that he would until he compared themselves with a mirror but as it was, he was very busy trying to burn a hole into the white man with just his eyes.

The child then resorts to being sarcastic in times of stress. “No, of course not. It is not like I had turned flat as a pancake, right? Since someone saved me from splattering all my brain matter at your feet!” he yelled out.

His assailant snorted at the morbid humour, placing an amiable grin on his own face. **“Whaddya ya know, the brat is kinda adorable. That, maybe, hnn, I won’t mind having him around. Provided we tell him...”** Flickering his moderately soft gaze from the boy to the other man with a seriousness that was familiar to the young child.

The black cloaked man holds his gaze with the other, setting down the child who was almost half his size back on his feet. Replying with reluctance. “It is acceptable but not everything. We don’t know what this new world is capable of.”

Looking back and forth from both men. He took one step back but closer to the man who had saved him. Clutching loosely to a part of his saviour’s black cloak. Eyeing suspiciously with squinted eyes and a frown to the now grinning literal white person that was looking a tad too gleeful for his taste. Feeling rightfully apprehensive towards the man after what he did.

As he blinked, he was suddenly in the air again. Unable to feel shocked at such an act quick enough.

To put it bluntly, he was left baffled by what the yellow-eyed man was currently doing that nothing computed for a moment.

He was being carried by the clothes he wore that was in a way, kept constricting his chest on intervals as the other uses _Sonido_. A rough hand gripped the back of his black robes firmly.

Finally, he noticed that he was actually wearing similar clothes with the person who was dragging him through the air. Only in inverted colours. Having his brain actively process this information, he started to figure the minor odd details that he constantly tried to ignore.

This very mean person, he looks a lot like himself, the child thought with a sudden realization due to having taken a glimpse of himself on the reflective glass windows.

Little by little, the minor things he refused to acknowledge. Came back to him, crashing like a large tidal wave. Freezing him with the cold hard facts.

He remembered waking up to having shredded, bloody clothes on him. A friend who not within his arms anymore. The friend, he was with while they were travelling through … something bright … was it a tunnel? It was rough. The violent and sharp winds had kept lashing at them inside it.

Like the ones he was experiencing now, but, this one was milder, nicer even.

His friend, he had protected his friend from getting lashed by the sharp… winds? Yet, she was screaming too. ‘Who was she?’ He had forgotten her name.

Wait, he couldn’t recall how had they became friends in the first place. What were they doing there? Why were they there? How did they get there? These thoughts swarmed his mind but the most apparent was only one.

‘Who…, who am I?’

A sudden cold settled in the pit of his stomach. He knew that he did not know who he was but he kept on ignoring it. Denying it, hoping that by doing so would make it go away.

But it didn't.

Tears started to well up in his eyes.

Eyeing the darkened sky, he refused to think about his lack of past

That thought made him shiver but he looks back to the other two that was with him. The black cloaked man was following behind them at a steady pace.

They were going somewhere.

And they were stepping on the air with him held loosely in one of their hands.

Like normal.

‘It is normal right?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, imagine a child with no memories and weird manifestations in his head. *wink,wink*


	3. Recognize and Reintroducing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had you ever felt like you forget something, and you felt like breaking down to pieces for no reason.  
> Only a gaping empty feeling of loneliness.  
> It aches so bad, that you are scared it would swallow you whole.  
> I feared it too.  
> Still am.

_They were going somewhere._

_And they were stepping on the air with him held loosely in one of their hands._

_Like normal._

_‘It is normal right?’_

* * *

 

 

He felt like an empty blank canvas. A person with absolutely no purpose for existing other than merely being there for nothing. His child-like mind wanted to panic at the idea of having nobody to go back to. Nobody he could remember.

Involuntarily, his face contorted in fear but slowly morphed into a curious frown. Hastily, wiping tears away in a subtle manner.

But, he wasn’t exactly alone was he?

Yes, there were others.

Two others, and one little one to be exact.

A harsh slap from a rough wind brought him away from his internal musings. Making him scowl at the situation he was in now. The unnamed person who was still travelling through a consecutive burst of speed with him hanging by his robes within one of the person’s hands who was oddly, single-mindedly determined to reach a specific location. Ignoring his captive’s plight of having to endure the whole journey of rough handling.

The child looked back to his capture with a glare filled with frustration and turmoil. He found himself on the receiving end of another smug smirk after a quick glance by the said captor.

Curious and apprehensive about everything since he had woken up, he decided to ask as he had nothing to lose. He did not want to not know, not anymore.

Even at the cost of being injured by a potentially violent person.

_'Oh who am I kidding, he threw me in the air... (Sigh) Alright, here goes nothing!'_

His mind was distraught as it is.

And his heart aches at the empty feeling of loneliness.

It was such a heavy feeling that was pressing down on him, the child thought. So with the courage, he could scrounge up within himself, he tried. 

“Where are we going?!” He shouted against the force of the wind that they were going against, voice cracked at the sudden sadness that washed over him. Tears sprung up again and the skies darken further, rumbling.

Not getting an answer immediately, he growled and twisted to try grasping the pale man with his own hands. Feeling small raindrops pelt his face. Until they came to an abrupt stop making him choke momentarily. Stunned and still staying in mid-air, although now they were within a dilapidated building with cracks and holes that shed dim light through. The building filled with rows of shelves with a number of books and ripped up papers scattered about. Oddly horizontal, following the theme same as the cityscape he was in before.

Hearing a heavy sigh came from the man suspending them in mid-air, he turned his gaze towards him. Eyeing the bright acid yellow sclera for eyes that were staring sharply down at him and not a shred of a smile was on his face for once. Rainwater dripped down both of them as the man stood with him by hanging his side beneath a gaping hole of the building that revealed a dimming sky. Each other’s gaze never wavering.

The child could never hope to get a good read on the other, the man’s face was eerily expressionless.

However, the larger of the duo easily could, the brat was like an open book to him. He could smell the fear, anxiety and hopelessness coming from the child in waves. None of it was true anger as the fake irritated scowl that was plastered across the small face was trying to perceive as. Noticing the tear tracks that were hidden behind the rainwater that was gradually getting heavier. It made the usual malicious man feel odd, to be specific, he felt anxiously irritated.

He had never liked it when ‘the brat before’ was like this.

The old man never did like it, too. Especially, when it rains.

Breaking the moment with a determined scowl that got a quick and minuscule surprised look from the kid. He moved the arm holding the kid so that they were facing each other easily, letting loose a sadistic grin right in the child’s face without prompt. 

Revelling at the momentary fright he received. With a larger grin, he uttered damning words to the child.

**“Have a nice fall, brat.”**

Abruptly, the hand that the child was in, released the back of his robes. He was falling, again.

He couldn’t, wouldn’t allow a scream to pass through, thought the child. Moving his eyes away from the man that etched with fear but more obvious than before. He shifted to see the ground he would fall and probably die on. Only to see a flooded building with floating shredded papers, ripped books and broken shelves within the miniature lake in the building.

Hope burned brightly in him.

The will to live got him to eye the surface of the lake for a safe place to dive in within less than a second. Quickly, he manoeuvred himself to possibly make a dive bomb in a specific location. Taking a deep breath as he shut his eyes for the impending large splash that he would make. Curling up tightly in himself to protect his vitals.

Water splashed and surrounded him.

It was a chilling sensation.

Opening his eyes, he did not felt the burn that was supposed to come with it and he could see everything so clearly. Not one to waste an opportunity, he took the chance to resurface back above the water level. He swam to a nearby part of a broken bookshelf.

The sheer relief and momentary happiness enveloped him as his hand managed to grasp a part of the shelf that didn’t have a sharply jagged edge. He pulled his head out of the water with both hands holding the floating wood and took a deep gasping breath in.

He laughed with a fragile smile adorning his face. “Oh my god, I am alive!”

Only to drop it at the sight of the pale man standing on the water a few feet away from him. He scowled heavily at the grinning man. Utter fury quickly replaced his small joy at being alive.

**“Heh, oops.”**

The child snarled at the demon of a man. “What the hell was all that about?! Were you trying to kill me?”

 **“Nah, knew you would live. Besides, in the mindscape, nothing can kill you here and I would say you had a good fall there, brat. But I’ve seen you do better.”** Said man ended his words with a scowl as he stepped closer towards him. Annoyed at the subpar performance but hid his glee from the child for something else that had worked out in his favour.

It had stopped raining so heavily. He could still feel light droplets of water falling from the opening on him in a soft pitter patter.

That was a plus in his book.

Internally, he wanted to give a small smug smile at the child as he looked at the kid. However, he refrained. As he still wanted to mess with his now newly formed younger partner moe.

Although, the kid in front of him was distracted by something else. In fact, he was processing over the particular words that were just said by him.

“You know me?” He suddenly stated, widening his eyes at the fact, though narrowing in scepticism later on. Moving away purposefully from the approaching man, floating away in the water that was oddly receding in amount. A hand never leaving a wooden board to keep him afloat.

That action earned him a few stupefied blinks and a huff of exasperation. Rolling his eyes at what he knew of his quite dim partner, he replied. **“Really, are you slow or something brat? And, where do you think you are you going?”** He lets his voice drawled out in an ominous and mocking tone. An amused smirk firmly in place as he eyed the child who was still slowly floating away without letting him out of his sight.

**‘Smart kid, but he is shit slow on the uptake.’**

Wary empty brown eyes eyed the other’s piercing yellow with a growing sense of frustration. Oddly, deep down he knew what he doing right now, was futile. An inevitable thing that ought to happen. That should happen. As it was, everything was in his head.

 _‘Maybe. Everything is just so damn confusing…’_  

He couldn’t truly run away from anything here.

And, he never did like the inevitable, sounds too much like fate.

It made the kid scrunched up his face and scowled. “Well, if I am slow. You’re slower if you can’t take a guess what I am doing!” Irritation and annoyance boiled over

He took a gamble to look behind for a second to eye the rest of the floating wooden hindrance. Not liking the idea of getting stab by sharp edges of shelves’ parts nor backing to something that would hinder his most likely futile escape. The enticing thought of just hiding and running until he finally remembers had brewed in his mind many times.

It was a nice thought but he knew with those two in his head… or whoever head he was in. He was screwed.

And, of course, he knew that he would be fished out of the water like a wet kitten within that measly second.

Just like he thought would happen…

Letting out a deep sigh of aggravation and clenching his fist until he could feel his nails threatening to pierce through his palms.

_‘Just one second, just… one fucking second. Can’t he just give me the space to think already?!’_

His teeth gritted out of frustration. He felt like maiming something, preferably a yellow-eyed jerk.

All too suddenly, in his left hand, a trench knife appears.

There was no shock, just calm acceptance.

It was large to be a trench knife but fitting for his child-like physique.

“Ichigo, pool your energy at your feet.”

Instinctively, he does so and he stood. On the air, above the water, the grip he felt on his robes loosen and disappeared altogether.

The knowledge was there but, it was so very vague.

He did it though.

And, he has all these pent up emotions within him. Just simmering beneath his skin.

**“Fight me already, you stupid brat.”**

Turning around, he saw the black-robed man standing a bit to the side but closer to him than the other. In fact, it was most likely that the man himself was the one to pick him out of the water. Giving a tight nod to the man as thanks, face firmly set to a scowl. He slowly walked towards the white-haired bane of his life ever since he woke up.

For a moment where he had almost thought to swing the knife behind him but refrained from doing so.

_‘Thank god, I didn’t.’_

Step-by-step, he walked on air. Then, he ran.

The sheet white face gave a larger bloodthirsty smile to him.

He was scared. Yet…

_‘That smug shit needs a taste of his own medicine.’_

“Stop being so fucking damn annoying, you asshole!”

With a frustrated yell, he swung the blade high aimed for the torso.


	4. Meet Your Protector Slash Sibling Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Butterflies in my tummy mean to feel nervous.  
> Maybe.  
> Would it'd be literally if you ate one? Well, two to be accurate.

He was scared. Yet…

_‘That smug shit needs a taste of his own medicine.’_

“Stop being so fucking damn annoying, you asshole!”

With a frustrated yell, he swung the blade high aimed for the torso.

* * *

 

But it wasn't meant to be... Was it?

Ichigo woke up with a start and a wheeze as Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck jumped on his stomach. 

Which was idiotic of her but let's just say that most of the fault goes to the marines as they were the ones to fail to notice a weeping toddler sneak pass by them and through the ER doors where he laid there, too still for her taste.

So, she went to wake him up in her own usual epic way.

She thought it was the usual, she can't remember ever doing so though. Oh well!

"Itsygo! Itsygo! Wake up, wake up! It is morning time right?! Don't sleep, Itsygo! You need to wake up now " She swayed from side-to-side with giddiness since she had finally found her friend in this deary place.

Smiling down her wheezing, heaving, groaning and coughing pseudo brother who looks like he wanted to weep too, she also notices the blotches of red appearing on the bandages that were wrapped around his chest. She peered closer and sniffed a familiar iron-like scent coming off from him. Her nose twitched adorably and her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.

Drool poured out of her mouth, onto the bandages, making it seep into it and reached the reopened injuries. Just like she hoped, the blood blotches stopped expanding. 

Looking again at her almost mummified friend. Her face set into a determined expression. She crawled and drooled all over her friend going so far as to turn him over so that his back could also be administered with her healing drool.

It was odd, she never thought she could ever move her friend like this. He was always too heavy in this form.

Form what form?

She was always a child, wasn't she?

With her hand gripping the deceptively spiky but in actuality really soft fluffy bright orange haired-scalp of her friend, pushing his face and accidentally smothering him with the pillow while she was at it, unknowingly. She pondered on the thought of her having another form, momentarily, before right out regarding it as impossible and quite silly of her to think about. 

Ichigo who was suffering from asphyxiation was wide awake, body heaving for precious limited oxygen through the pillow, arms twitched and shifting by his side at the thought of dying due to an unknown green blob attempting to kill him via smothering.

_'Yeah, no.'_

With a surge of unknown energy that came from within his lethargic-self. He quickly rushed to bring himself up with his arms and knees under him, bumping softly with something and creating space to breathe as he gasped for air.

Hearing a familiar squeak coming from his right, he turned to see a hazy form of a small green little girl flailing her arms as she tries to balance herself to stay standing on the bed.

She tips backwards with panic muttering of multiple oh no's. His eyes snapped wide open at the sight of it, blurred perception is gone, in place for a sharper gaze. 

He recognised her. Knows her even, but he could not recall how.

She was in trouble, again. 

"Nel!"  

Again?

Swiftly, he envelopes his arms around her in a firm but gentle embrace before she could fall. The unintentional hug was returned full-force by the small green-haired little girl. Her chin over his shoulder and arms wrapped too tightly around his neck with a wide smile beaming from her face. Again, unintentionally depriving him of air.

He knows her name. He knows his own name now too. 

Tears dripped down from his eyes. Whether in joy or in pain from the lack of oxygen. Who knows? He prefers to think it was the former though. 

Since he felt elated at the mere fact he wasn't alone as he thought he was.

But sadly his vision was also getting blurry again from the lack of precious air.

He tapped his small but strong little friend on the back a few times.

"Uh, Nel? Nel, I need air. (Cough). Nel?"

She wouldn't let go. 

Replying with a petulant "No!"

His gripped on her gradually slackened but stayed in place as he wheezed out a few words. She noticed the difference between the previous hold quickly enough.

"You are chocking me, Nel. Please, I need to brea-breathe."

Nel who was only half his size relented her hold. Letting him breathe easily, inhaling with well-thought-out breaths. Her eyes bored at his own tired ones, finally taking note of his weakened form that depicts only a fraction of what he had gone through. 

The rest was a mystery to her. And to him. But she doesn't now that he doesn't know what had happened as well.

Ichigo gave a small smile as he said his thanks.

She smiled too but it was a quiet one, not the boisterous ones she was used too. It did not feel like a suitable situation to smile her usual smile as her friend was in pain. And, she did not know how it happened. 

Nel felt like biting something, preferably the thing that had hurt her pseudo-brother. 

Her small hands gripped the helm of her baggy hospital shirt. Kneeling in front of the older child, she then leaned in towards his chest. Insisting she hid her face as she cried when her own tears started to drip.  

She bit her lips in an attempt to stop herself from crying any louder but ultimately failed since she chocked out another sob. 

"I-I (hic), Itsygo, I woke up alone, in-in a.. room. It was, (sobs) there was-wasn't anyone at-at, (inhales sharply) at first. He, some-someone, a...(sobs) "

The other child hugged her in a tight and firm embrace, giving her strength in the form of reassurance for her to continue her story. A pillar of sorts, to tell her that he'll still be here with her. That he wasn't going to vanish.

"Nel, it's okay. It is alright now. I am here. I'm not going anywhere."

Her wails were loud even when muffled by the thick layer of bandages.

"Tha-that was it! He, he said he was going to see you but he-he didn't come back. He didn't come back the next day either. I got worried. So I walked out of the room an-and (hic) I tried to find you... This place is weird Itsygo! It smells funny! People saw me, lots of people saw me! It's scary cause I didn't know anyone. They tried to catch me! A-a weird clown-doctor tried to catch me. It's scary Itsygo! Don't leave me alone anymore! I don't like it." 

Ichigo tense at what was said but he continued to pat and comb through the younger child's green locks without pause. Even when he thought something was meant to be stuck on her head but he dismissed the bizarre thought. He also felt the need to calm her down even when his own memories were in shambles. It was his duty as a ... as a... person? _~~An older brother. A protector.~~_

Muffled or not he understood the implications of what she had said. This place wasn't a hospital most likely. Especially with what he saw before collapsing.

He needed to know whether or not they were safe here.

"Nel."

But first... Hands cusping the smaller child's cheeks. Making them look straight into the eyes of the other. He tried his best to convey his sincerity in making such a promise. They were alone in this and only had each other. The sibling-like attachment between them had formed even before and had stayed in place since then. Regardless of scrambled memories or not. 

"I won't ever leave you alone. Never. Not even when we are forcefully separated. I'll always come back to you. Alright? You heard that, Nel?"

Little Nelliel could see the ever-present protective spirit of his burns brightly through his eyes from the self-made promise. Her eyes glimmered with more unshed tears and she continued to cry large drops of it would fall like a river onto his fingers. Readily wiped away even when more came. 

"Un!" She nodded, a smile bloomed on her face at the promise. Her arms came to wrap around the torso of her friend who was more like an older sibling to her. Hands manage to encircle it and to grasp each other. It was a surprise for her to be able to do that but the thought was swept away by the precious promise. The impromptu hug that was returned as well was also another precious gesture to be distracted by.

He always had felt safe to be around with. Like a guardian. 

Within herself, a silent determination to do the same for Ichigo burns just as brightly. To be his protector.

And with that, she easily fell asleep in his arms after a night of a sleepless one. Odd enough that her current physique was less able to take the strain of functioning without sleep. It irritates her but what could she do? Everything felt odd to her except for Ichigo's presence after whatever they went through spitting them out.

She fell into a deep slumber quickly enough to ignore her name being called out softly to her by him.

The older child felt befuddled by the dead weight of his friend. He noticed the light dark circles around her eyes but never thought anything of it. She must've been forcing herself to stay awake this whole time. 

Gently, he placed the barely half-a-decade-year-old child onto the bed to sleep more comfortably. He himself was dead tired but he also can't stop thinking about what was going to happen if they stayed any longer in this strange place. 

The even more pressing issue was that how would they fare in the outside world?

Here he sat on the bed, in a hunched form, eyeing shrewdly at the only door in this room. There weren't any windows, he noted. Barely did he felt any pain from his wounds after Nel healed his injuries. It was again odd, but he can't figure out what was odd with the scenario. 

Said smaller child became restless in her sleep at the lack of warmth that Ichigo had provided. She truly had turned and behaved like a young child but that didn't matter did it? She was always one. 

So he laid on his side, facing the other, hugging her close, not enough to be stifling but just enough to be comfortably loose for her to get out of. He was adept at behaving this way with his other younger siblings once, feeling a pang of sadness running through him just at the thought of them. He knew he had them but barely could he recall their faces.

His warm brown eyes he lingered on her drooling sleepy face with fierce protective thoughts of what to do next or if any volatile situations might occur. 

On the other hand Nel, she had said people could see her now. Was she ever not seen? He could see her just fine before. Even his friends could if by the indication of his mess of memories. She was never not seen, he thought. 

Another thing to ponder on. Breathing out a heavy sigh that blew a few strands of green hair away from his face and flattened it on top of her head. He thought of just carrying her away from here, she was barely half his size. But...

There were too many things to worry about in their situation right now and he felt oh so tired.

His eyes half-lidded, only through sheer force of will did he keep them from closing.

'I need to protect her.'

He felt desperate.

Until a smooth, deep voice that has a faint sound of echo interrupted his thoughts. 'Ichigo, rest.'

'...You're real.' Almost, almost did he felt like forming a grin. He didn't know why but he just felt so happy by the confirmation that those two whom he had conversed with apparently exist.

'As ever.'

**'Yeah, you look like shit brat! Just sleep already and leave the rest to us.'** The sound of the more violent persona was oddly comforting to hear as well.

It was nice and with that, his eyes slid shut. Feeling peaceful for the moment as he too went to sleep.

**'Old Man...'**

'Yes, Zangetsu?'

**'...'**

'It is fine, Zangetsu. He did not bore any ill will towards the children.'

**'Alright, he is fine. But the rest?'**

'...'

**'Right, then.'**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am late...  
> I almost lost interest in this story when I wrote down the whole plot line..  
> I am back but then again... Slow updates.  
> ,😓.

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, I am happy. Comment is appreciated. Pretty new at this. So, I am really thankful for any helpful comment I could get. Yay, mini-Ichigo and mini-Nel is in a scientist lair!


End file.
